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At the vets, and understanding the treatment
If you are taking your dog to the vet – make a quick note of the history of the dog’s illness – symptoms, and signs you have noted, and when it started.
If you think your dog may have something infectious – it is coughing a lot, or has a very upset tummy – phone first and ask if you can have a separate appointment. There is nothing worse than taking a dog with kennel cough (highly infectious) into a waiting room full of pups waiting to be vaccinated, or perhaps elderly dogs with heart problems.
If the vet tells you what is wrong with the dog and you don’t understand - please say so.
Sometimes – younger vets especially – tend to be very scientific and technically correct – but owners often do not understand what they are telling them.
If medicine, pills, liquid, ear drops, eye drops or ointment are prescribed – make sure you know how to give it to your pet.
If you don’t know – ask the vet to show you.
If you are taking a new pup or a rescue dog to the vet – make sure the vet knows this is a new pet – many vets allow extra time for these consultations – and take details of its age etc with you, and a list of questions you may want to ask.
If it is a rescue dog, take as many details as you can get with you – it may assist the vet to help you sort out any problems. Many rescue dogs may have some medical and / or behavioural problems – but they may not be immediately apparent until you’ve had it in your home for a while and it becomes more confident.
Make a friend of your vet, and if your vet does a good job for you, do thank the vet. The vet’s main satisfaction is in getting a pet to recover, and I don’t think there are many vets who don’t feel a lot of satisfaction if they make a friend of the pet, and the pet-owner.
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